The formula drastically changes as it dries out and it worsens (referring to the pros above);

As the formula dries out it becomes clumpy (the swatches bear evidence as my second coat picture shows a little bit of clumping).

When the formula dries out there also seems to be fallout.

The size of the wand makes it a little hard to work with.

Rating:

8.3/10

I am giving it a high rating because the mascara blew my mind when I initially tried it out. This would have gotten a rating above 9 if the formula didn’t change as it dried out. But hey, for a MYR 20 mascara, 3 to 4 months use is more than enough although I kept using it until the 8th month mark! 😛

So I was contacted again by the PR representatives I received the J.One skincare products from and this time around was approached to review skincare from AQUTOP.

Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for my honest review. Thoughts are all mine and links provided are not affiliate links (meaning, I don’t make any money from any of the links on this review).

So AQUTOP is a new Korean brand launched in 2015 and have been available in Singapore since 2017. Fun fact, the brand name is apparently a combination of the words water (aqua) and best (top). They are all about moisture for the skin and undeniably it is the most important thing the skin needs!

The three products that I received.

Let’s first start with the product I liked the most.

Description: It is a foaming cleanser that comes in 150ml/5.07 fl. oz. It contains germinating black beans which apparently allows for smoother skin and deeper cleanse.

Price: USD 7 (approximately MYR 27.31 at time this post was published).

Where to buy: For my fellow Malaysians, they are sold at Qoo10 (link here). Price on Qoo10 may differ from the price stated (applicable for all products).

Product.

Lots of lather! And I didn’t even use much water.

Pros:

Deep cleanse!

Doesn’t leave the skin dry and tight.

The tiniest of product goes a long way (on my big face, two peas sized blob lathers well and cleanses properly!).

The skin brightening wasn’t so evident perhaps because of my darker skin tone.

It leaves a horrible white cast on the skin that never does go away (pictures below)

It sits on the skin funny, like a mask instead of a cream that absorbs into the skin.

This is a layer of product freshly applied! NOT A BEFORE AND AFTER!!!! The cast doesn’t go away! So walking out in the day with this on, NO! However, I used it at night and my skin did improve! I had a lot more texture on the skin than I did before using this product.

Rating:

4/10

As much as it improved my skin, the white cast and the way it sits funny on the skin is not something I can tolerate using it during day time.

Moving on to the third and final product.

A body lotion.

Description: A toning body lotion that comes in 100 ml or 3.38 fl. oz. It is supposed to brighten and tone skin while adding moisture.

I may change this rating, because I used it for just about 2 weeks and wasn’t enough to see if the effects were persistent. I had a hard time using it because it does take a while to work it into the skin especially since I am using it on the body.

These products were sent to me by a company called Beureka, which was started by men (two Singaporeans actually)! Well, there’s were I relate!

They offer a wide array of beauty products with a focus on Asian and Korean brands. The products that were sent to me is by a high end brand called J.One which has been available in Sephora US for a while now.

Disclaimer: I was sent these products to review but opinions are entirely mine.

I’ll attach all links to Beureka at the end of the post.

I received four products; 2 masks, a makeup primer and a cream.

First the makeup base.

Description: A clear jelly like leave on mask that has anti-aging properties, and acts as a makeup primer. Comes in 50 ml (1.69 fl. oz) of product, complete with a pump.

Price: SGD 42.00 (excluding shipping and as of 25th December 2017, the exchange rate for SGD to MYR is 1 to 3.03, so the product costs MYR 127.37)

Where to buy: Beureka (details at the end of the review)

Pump!!! Yes!

The product

Leaves a dewy finish on the skin without feeling oily.

Pros:

Leaves a tacky surface for product to cling on.

Scentless.

Easy to work with.

PUMP, YES!!!

Hydrates and moisturises skin (in fact, it seems to almost trap moisture on the skin).

Prevents makeup from settling into lines (not entirely but, it would make a phenomenal difference for someone with wrinkles).

Cons:

Price (obviously a con for a cheapo like me HOWEVER, Beureka rates are amazing; this one is sold at Sephora US for USD 42 and since 1USD = 1.34SGD, it makes this product CHEAPER on Beureka).

Didn’t really smooth out pores.

Made my skin oil up at the end of its run, more than if I didn’t wear a primer at all (nothing too bad).

Rating: 8/10

Now here’s why I am giving it an 8. I don’t particularly have skin that makeup slides off. In fact, my skin holds on to makeup like no other! I wear primers for pore refining and oil control. However, working on people with different types of skin, I can say that there are people with skin so smooth that makeup actually doesn’t stick on and so for people like that, this product would be a Godsend!

Description: Lotion like cream that come in individual beads. 20 grams (o.7 oz) of product and comes with a tiny plastic spatula.

Price: SGD 58 (converts to MYR 176.01 as of 25th December 2017)

Where to buy: Beureka (details at the end of the review)

The product inside.

The plastic spatula.

I find it very satisfying picking individual beads for every use. I need to use about 3 beads for my large face.

Pros:

Easy to use.

Extremely hygienic since the fingers don’t go digging into the pot and the spatula can be easily cleaned.

Works well!

As moisturising as it was, my face doesn’t oil up and found that very fascinating!

Absorbs very easily into the skin.

Definitely made my skin smoother (nothing phenomenal but for the short amount of time I used it, I was amazed).

Cons:

Price.

I need 3 whole beads for my face.

Note: This is fragranced and pretty heavily I might add. So that may be a concern.

Rating: 8.5/10

I LOVE this thing! Best part is the fragrance which is very nostalgic for me.

The mask was refreshing at best. There are two parts to the mask. Step one is a sheet mask and step two is a jelly lotion that felt very much like the J.One Jelly Pack. The mask isn’t available on the website as of the time of this review but you’re welcome to check back on Beureka. I found a source that lists it at USD 3.80.

I implore you to compare prices because the J.One products are much cheaper on Beureka than even the Sephora US website. So I am sure there are good bargains! They have perfumes, skincare and some makeup too. Mostly high end and luxury brands.

For Malaysia, they offer a flat rate of SGD 12 for every order. So perhaps pool order with a couple of friends???

I have not used many foundations to proclaim that this one in particular beats out the rest. I detail my experience using this product in hopes that it will help another make an informed decision.

The Sephora brand itself has a wide range of products but never really talked about or raved about. This comes as a surprise to me because their price range is lower than most brands available and their products are very inclusive of a wide range of skin tones.

Here I review the Sephora 10HR Wear Perfection Foundation.

The product. I love the frosted glass bottle!

Description at the side of the bottle.

Clear sticker at bottom of the bottle with shade name and code.

A pump! YES! Much appreciated!

The pump actually dispenses product very nicely. No wastage!

Blended. It has a very skin-like finish. It’s not matte nor is it too dewy. The yellow undertone works very well on my face.

Description: Liquid foundation that comes in 25 ml or 0.84 fl. oz. Very darker skin friendly range of shades (if you are Indian, you are sure to find a shade for you in this range!). Medium to full coverage with a skin-like dewy finish.

You can see it being used on my face in this video. Although it seems like a lighter shade, it sinks and blends well into my skin and I typically use a bronzer so that ties in with the whole thing as well.

Pros:

Medium coverage foundation that can be built to full coverage.

Natural looking finish.

Doesn’t settle into fine lines.

Setting with powder removes dewy finish.

Doesn’t cake up even when layered.

Feels light on the skin.

Long lasting (10 hours is a bit of a stretch but depending on your skin type, a good 6 to 7 hours of wear and it doesn’t just break down leaving patches, rather it fades off pretty evenly).

Wide and very darker skin friendly range!

Pump! YES!

Not too expensive for a product from Sephora.

Cons:

Not even a full ounce of product.

May not work for oily skin because of its dewy finish.

Tends to make the skin oil up because of the dewy finish. Setting with powder helps.

Rating: 9.1/10

I have only ever used one other liquid foundation (for every day use) that I have reviewed here (link here). But this one, I LOVE! Highly rated on the Sephora website.

We all know MAC; they offer great products for a flawless finish but not necessarily the best to use if you wear makeup on a daily basis. MAC is all about full coverage, highly pigmented, well performing products. This is a review of the cult favourite Studio Fix Powder Foundation. I have two shades and both were preloved products that my cousin passed on to me because one was too dark for her and another was the wrong undertone. I’ve made both work for me! 😀

Outer packaging.

The back of the box. Ingredients list.

Shade name on the top of the box.

The product! So loved!

The label on the other one has peeled off. 😦 But this is how it looks like.

Can’t really tell the difference but the one on the right is NW43, the one on the left is NC42.

A closer look.

The mirror.

The section underneath for the puff.

Excuse the dirty puffs. I usually use brushes or the beauty blender so I don’t bother washing them unless I know I am going to be using it. The puffs are soft and pretty good to use.

An insignificant hand swatch. The colours did not pick up on camera!

But you can tell a tiny bit colour which is the NW 43.

Description: A powder foundation that comes in many shades, in two different undertones, and in 15 grams / 0.52 oz product.

Where to buy: MAC counters; counters are available in Penang, Pahang, Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak usually in shopping malls.

Price: MYR 150

This product is my go to and in fact I recently used it for a brow challenge for RiceDolls. Rice Dolls is a makeup community site for beauty creators around Asia; you can find them at RiceDolls.com. I used this powder to cover my under eyes.

You will definitely feel it on the skin. Not particularly comfortable to wear.

Notes:

If you do have oily skin, the product does break down a tiny bit but nothing a quick touch up can’t fix. Make sure you blot of excess oil off the face before reapplication.

Rating:

8.4/10

I love this powder foundation but I haven’t used too many different powders from different brands to tell you that this is my holy grail. I’m used to it and this review is all the details I’ve known and experienced.

Breena Beauty is the brainchild of local beauty blogger Sabrina Tajudin whose first release was the Face Luxe Brush. I purchased it in May 2015 and wrote a first impressions post (post link here) upon receiving it.

I am a firm believer in using makeup brushes for a prolonged amount of time before actually reviewing it. A makeup brush should last at least a couple of years before falling apart, especially synthetic brushes. It is ultimately the reason all the makeup brushes reviewed on FiercePaint, I’ve had and used for at least 8 months.

The brush.

There was a hand written note that which I can’t seem to find. Attached are two pictures from the original post.

Moving on!

I especially love the rose gold ferrule.

Description on the back of the box.

Close up of the description.

Left in the design for aesthetics! 😛

Care instructions.

Close up of the bristles.

Densely packed bristles.

Soft synthetic bristles.

Description:

Multi purpose large face brush. Can be used with both powder and liquid products. Designed and made locally.

Where to buy: Breena Beauty website. Update! They now offer international shipping!

Pros:

Very affordable for such a good quality brush.

Versatile; not too dense for powder application and not too loosely packed for liquid foundation. I have used it for both with good results.

Application is soft and smooth, with no streaking from the brush strokes.

Soft and easy to use.

Because it is rather large, a larger area of the face can be covered allowing for swift application.

The large wooden handle is actually helpful to application because holding and maneuvering becomes surprisingly easier. The flat bottom allows the brush to be stood up on a flat surface.

Sturdy handle and ferrule.

No shedding thus far.

I am giving an extra ‘pro’ for aesthetics because it is quite a beautiful brush and the fact that it comes with a thoughtful hand written note counts too.

Cons:

There is a a little bit of unevenness with the bristles. But update, having trimmed the bristles, none has frayed since.

Before (from the 2015 post). It was trimmed right after.

After (constant usage and washing for almost 2 years).

The paint of the handle has cracked on mine. I do hope Sabrina has fixed this problem in her upcoming batch of brushes.

Some people may feel that the handle is rather chunky for storage and thus not very travel friendly. I love the fact that it can be left upright on a vanity and to me it overrides the chunky handle con.

Cream eyeshadows are, as the name suggests, eyeshadow pigment that has a semi-solid (the scientist just had to peek through huh???) consistency but once applied typically sets and dries on the skin. Cream eyeshadows are usually applied on bare skin because if a primer was applied, there would be a barrier between the skin and the shadow which may make it slip and not set and stay in place. But, this is makeup and there are no rules, so you do you!

Oooo, so pretty!

The underside of the tub.

There are two different, uhmmm, sources, I should say; made in USA and made in China. I have three from China and four from USA. Funny thing is the shades from China are not available in the USA version (not that I could find anyway). All bought from local reputable drugstores.

Going through all the colours.

Bad to the Bronze. Made in China. If you want to get any colour, get this! Perfect everyday, blend on to the eyelid, liner, mascara and you’re done kind of shade! Iridescent, sparkly finish.

Painted Purple. Made in China. This one is a tiny bit patchy but beautiful! The base is matte but there are sparkles in it.

Bold Gold. USA. Iridescent sparkly finish.

Tenacious Teal. USA. Iridescent sparkly finish.

Edgy Emerald. USA. Matte base with a lot of sparkles in it.

Audacious Asphalt. USA. Matte finish with sparkles in it.

Description:

Individual pots of cream eyeshadow (or eyeshadow bases), that come in matte and iridescent finish (I have non of the completely matte ones). I don’t exactly know how many colours there are and I have seen some of the completely matte shades reviewed by other Malaysian bloggers and YouTubers. Comes in 4 grams of product.

Price: Retails for MYR 21.05 (from Watsons and Guardian) but just wait for promotions. I bought most of mine at MYR 12.

Where to buy: Anywhere there’s a Maybelline stand!

Swatch

Pros:

They are creamy and easy to work with.

They are completely budge-proof.

Nice range of colours.

Can be used many ways.

The neutral colours can be use on it’s own.

Cons:

The pot is heavy and quite bulky.

It dries out easily.

Some shades are not very opaque and streaky and this is evident from the hand swatches.

Other things to note:

The drying out of the product can be remedied. There are lots of YouTube tutorials on this. I do suggest you stay away from the ones that utilise alcohol because it will eventually dry it out.

Using them as eyeshadow base would mean applying the product onto the eyelids and then packing on a corresponding powder shadow on it (picture below). You may also see that this particular shade, the purple one, is not completely opaque but can be easily remedied by setting it with a pressed powder shadow.

Ratings:

8.9/10

I love these cream shadows!!! If you learn how to work it you’ll love it! The neutral colours seem to work better than others.

This is a new brand I am reviewing on my blog today. Missha is a Korean based skincare and cosmetics company. Their products can be found on certain online sites here in Malaysia. I got it off Althea Malaysia (link here), when the PR representative reached out to me during their first anniversary in Malaysia to offer me store credit in exchange for a shout out on FiercePaint. This was among one of the products I picked up.

The product.

Description on the tube.

I have no idea what this means but this is under the tube.

The wand.

The bristles.

Description: A mascara that comes in 7 grams of product. There isn’t an indication if it is waterproof or not. Standard mascara bristles.

Price: There isn’t an exact retail price but on the Althea website retail price is MYR 50 but it is on discount for MYR 16 (same scenario when I got it).

Where to buy: I purchased mine via Althea Malaysia.

Bare lashes.

One coat.

Two coats.

Pros:

Wand is slim and easy to work with.

Nice separation of the lashes.

No smudging.

No clumping.

Cons:

Dry formula which doesn’t dispense on the lashes easily.

Doesn’t hold a curl.

Doesn’t lengthen.

Not much volume.

Note:

I still don’t know if it is waterproof but it tends to flake off when removed or when in touch with water instead of dissolving.

Rating:

4/10

I did not like this mascara. But I’d use it up. Since it is so under-performing, I can get away with it.

Bristles: Synthetic bristles. The bristles are tapered and extremely soft. Dual coloured with a lighter brown at the base that deepens into dark brown at the tip. It is slightly flattened to allow contouring. Bristles are not densely packed thus product can be deposited easily.

Ferrule: Sturdy shiny silver metallic ferrule.

Handle: Wood handle with black matte finish. The handle is slightly tapered with the larger end at the bottom that actually allows the brush to stand upright on a flat horizontal surface.

It can also be used to dab powder onto the face under the eyes and knock out excess powder from the face.

Blending out contours are also a dream with this.

The brush I own is about a few years old and no noticeable fraying and no bristle fall out thus far. If it is being used I spot clean all the time and deep cleanse about once a month so it is noteworthy that there were no bristle fall out! AT ALL!

The ferrule is sturdy and the shiny metallic surface gives it a luxury feeling.

Extremely soft; perhaps the softest brush I own.

Cons:

The tapered handle makes it difficult to fit into a makeup brush case.

Price is mid range.

Rating: 9.1/10

It is a brush worth buying, more so if you’re a makeup artist. Although the labels have started fading, it is still visible and the words can still be worked out.